Top seal for bottom lock pumps



July 5, 1960 N. R. DIRKsEN TOP SEAL FOR BOTTOM LOCK PUMPS Filed May 31. 1957 u A m M M lnillll United States Patent O TOP SEAL FOR BOTTOM LOCK PUMPS Nick R. Dirksen, 10811 Norlain Ave., Downey, Calif.

Filed May 31, 1957, Ser. No. 662,622

Claims. (Cl. 1'66-106) This invention relates to a top seal for bottom lock pumps, whereby entrained sand in the produced oil is prevented from settling downwardly in the tubing and around the pump barrel and the bottom lock of this barrel.

In pumping oil wells Ia certain amount of sand is'car ried with the pumped oil, and this sand tends to settle within the tubing and to finally come to rest around the pump barrel, and particularly around the bottom lock of the barrel. When this occurs it is frequently impossible to release the pump barrel from its position in the bottom of the tubing, thus requiring that the pump rods, as well as the tubing, shall be removed from the well if it is necessary to work on the pump or replace the same.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel top seal at the upper end of the pump which will tightly seal oi the tubing immediately above the pump, so that the entrained sand cannot fall downwardly around the pump barrel or around the bottom lock.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel topy seal for bottom lock pumps which can be set or expanded after the pump has been latched in its pumping position and the seal will remain expanded during the pumping operation of the well. i

' Another object of my invention is` to provide a novel top seal for bottom lock pumps of the character stated, wherein the top seal can be contracted prior to removal of the pump from the tubing if this: becomes necessary.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel top seal for bottom lock pumps of the character stated, in which the pack-oif member of the seal may be either expanded or contracted by longitudinal movement of the sucker rods which are attached to the plunger of the pump.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional'view of a bottom lock pump in position in the tubing and with my top seal mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of my top seal in expanded position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of the top seal in position about to be released from its expanded position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the usual bottom lock pump is positioned at the bottom of the well within the tubing 1. The tubing 1 extends from top to bottom of the Ywell and consists of a large number of sections or lengths which-are coupled by means of threaded couplings, all of which is usual and well known in the art. A lock hold down shoe 2 is attached to the bottom of the tubing 1 by means of the collar 3 which is threaded onto the hold down shoe, as well as to the bottom of the tubing 1, substantially as shown. The hold down shoe 2 includes a tapered seat 4 and an annular shoulder 5 within the shoe and the purpose of these parts will be subsequently described. The pump 6, preferably of the traveling plunger type, consists of an outer barrel 7 which is locked down by means of the latching member 8 threaded into the bottom of the barrel 7. The latching member 8 consists of a number of spring fingers 9 which spring outwardly to engage the shoulder 5 and thus releasably latch the barrel 7 in the shoe 2. The member 8 is tapered, yas shown at 9', to rest on the seat `4 and thus hold the latch member 8 against vertical movement when positioned in the shoe 2. The plunger of the pump is attached to the sucker rods 10 in the usual and well known manner, and the plunger is reciprocally mounted within the barrel 7, all of which is usual and well known in the art. As thus far described the structure consists of a standard bottom lock deep Well pump and it will be evident that any sand which might accumulate in the annular space 11 within the tubing 1 would pack tightly in this space and would prevent removal of the pump 6, and particularly would prevent release of the lock down element 8.

To prevent sand from accumulating within the space 11, I employ the following top seal: The top seal 12 consists of a coupling 13 which is threaded into the upper end of the barrel 7. A tubular fitting 14 screws into the upper end of the coupling 13 and forms one seat of a two seat structure for the annular sealing member 15. The second seating member 16 engages the upper end of the top seal 15 substantially as shown. A tubular spring latch 17 extends vertically through the top seal 15 and also through the seat 14 in one position of the parts. The seat 16 screws into the latch 17 adjacent its upper end so that the top seal 15 is thus positioned between the seats 14 and 16. The latch 17 is provided with a plurality of spring fingers 18 at its lower end and these spring fingers are formed by cutting vertical slots in the tubular latch member, the spring fingers tending'to normally spring outwardly. A cage nut 19 also threads into the upper end of the latch 17, and the cage 20 threads onto the nut 19, substantially as shown. The sucker rods 10 extend through the cage 20 and thence through the tubular latch member 17, and then downwardly intoy the barrel 7 where they attach to the usual pump plunger. The lower end of the seat 14 forms a shoulder 21 for the purpose of receiving the spring fingers` 18 and particularly the shoulders 18 and to hold the latch member 17 in its lowered position for the purpose of expanding the sealing or pack-off member 15 in its expanded position. This position is shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, When the sealing member 15 is contracted the fingers 18 of the latch 17 are positioned within the seat 14, that is, approximately an inch or so above their position shown in Figure 2. When the pump has been lowered into the tubing 1 and its bottom lock 8 has been set so that the fingers 9 engage the shoulder 5, then the weight of the sucker rods 10 can be excited against the top of the cage 20 by permitting theY sucker rod coupling 22 to rest on top of the cage. Thus the weight of the sucker rods will push the latch member 17 downwardly through the seat 14 to its latching position engaging the shoulder 21. This expands the rubber or plastic seal member 15 against the tubing 1 to seal olf the upper end of the pump as shown in Figure 1.

' When it is desired to release the seating member 15 and permit that member kto contract so that the pump can be unlatched-and returned to the surface. I provide a release ring 23 which rests upon a shoulder 24 formed in the coupling 13 below the shoulder 21 on the bottom of the seat 14. By permitting the weight of the rods V' g lce Patented July 5, 1960 to rest on the top of the cage 20 the latch member 17 is pushed downwardly an additional amount below the sealing position shown in Figure 2. The spring fingers 18 of the latch 177 then enter `the tapered seat portion 25 of the ring- 23, thus compressing the lingers 18V to the position shown in Figure 3. The ring 23 can now be moved upwardly within the coupling 13 by an upward movement of the sucker rods 10. When the ring 23 engages the shoulder 21 the fingers 18 can be withdrawn from the compressing ring 23, and these ngers are now positioned within the seat 14 so that they will be held in their compressed position and above the shoulder 21, thus permitting the sealing member 1S to remain retracted or in its reduced diameter position so that the entire pump can be returned to the surface.

In operation the tubing 1 is normally positioned in the well and extendsfrorn top to bottom thereof. The hold down shoe 2 is already positioned at the bottom of the tubing ready to receive the pump. The pump is now lowered into the well on the sucker rods 10 and when the bottom is reached the latching member 8 and the fingers 9 thereof engage the shoe 2 to hold the pump barrel 7 against accidental longitudinal movement until the plunger is being reciprocated. When the latching member 8 has been seated, further weight is exerted by the sucker rods 10 and the bottom coupling 22 of the sucker rods rests on the top of the cage 20, thus moving the seat 16 and the tubular latch 17 downwardly to compress and expand the rubber or plastic seal against the wall of the tubing 1. The fingers 18 of the latch member 17 will spring outwardly to engage the shoulder 21, thus holding the seal '15 in expanded position.

This is the position of the parts during the normal pump operation of the well. Any accumulated sand will rest above the seal 15 and will not pass downwardly into the space 11.V When it is desired to recover the pump 6 and return it to the surface, the coupling 22 is again lowered until it rests on top of the cage 20. Sufficient weight of the sucker rods is exerted until the seal 15 is further squeezed or compressed and so that the latch member 17 is pushed downwardly until the fingers 17 pass into the release ring 23, thus compressing the spring fingers 18 to the position shown inV Figure 3. The sucker rods 10 are now raised and the ring 23 moves upwardly until it engages the shoulder 21. The spring fingers 18 are now positioned within the bottom seat 14 and the seal 15 will be contracted to its normal position. The pump 6 can now be released from the hold down shoe 2 and the entire pump can be returned to the surface.

Having described by invention, I claim:

l. A top seal for reciprocating pumps having a barrel, said top seal being positioned at the upper end of said barrel, said top seal consisting of a tubular coupling, means securing the coupling to the upper end of said barrel, a lower seat, means securing the lower seat to said coupling, an upper seat spaced from the lower seat, a compressible seal arranged between said seats and resting thereon, a tubular latch slidably extending through said seats and seal, spring fingers on said latch and compressing means within said coupling engageable by the spring fingers in the lowered position of the latch, said spring fingers being disengaged from the compressing means in the raised position of the latch.

2. A top seal for reciprocating pumps having a barrel, said top seal being positioned at the upper end of said barrel, said top seal consisting of a tubular coupling, means securing the coupling to the upper end of said barrel, a lower seat, means securing the lower seat to said coupling, an upper seat spaced from the lower seat, a compressible seal arranged between said seats and resting thereon, a tubular latch extending through said seats and seal, means securing said latch Q the UPPeI' Seat:

4 said latch being slidable in the lower seat, spring fingers on said latch and compressing means within said coupling engageable by the spring fingers in the lowered posi tion of the latch, said spring fingers being disengaged from the compressing means in the raised position of the latch.

3. A top seal for reciprocating pumps having a barrel, said top seal being positioned at the upper end of said barrel, said top seal consisting of a tubular coupling, means securing the coupling to the upper end of said barrel, a lower seat, means securing the lower seat to said coupling, an upper seat spaced from the lower seat, a compressible seal arranged between said seats and resting thereon, a tubular latch slidably extending through said seats and seal, spring fingers on said latch and compressing means within said coupling engageable by the spring fingers in the lowered position of the latch, said compressing means including a retracting ring positioned within the coupling, said retracting ring having a central opening therein of a diameter to compress the spring fingers therein and means mounting the compression ring for limited longitudinal movement within said coupling, said spring fingers being disengaged from the retracting ring in' the raised position of the latch.

4. A top seal for reciprocating pumps having a barrel, said top seal being positioned at the upper end of said barrel, said top seal consisting of a tubular coupling, means securing the coupling to the upper end of said barrel, a lower seat, means securing the lower seat to said coupling, an upper seat spaced from the lower seat, a compressible seal arranged between said seat and resting thereon, a tubular latch extending through said seats and seal, means securing said latch to the upper seat, said latch being slidable in the lower seat, spring ngers on said latch and compressing means within said coupling engageable by the spring fingers in the lowered position of the latch, said compressing means including a retracting ring positioned within the coupling, said retracting ring having a central opening therein of a diameter to compress the spring fingers therein and means mounting the compression ring for limited longitudinal movement within said coupling, said springfiingers being disengaged from the retracting ring in the raised position of the latch.

5. A top seal for reciprocating pumps having a barrel, said top seal being positioned at the upper end of said barrel, said top seal consisting of a tubular coupling, means securing the coupling to the upper end of said barrel, a lower seat, means securing the lower seat to said coupling, an upper seat spaced from the lower seat, a compressible seal arranged between said seats and resting thereon, a tubular latch slidably extending through said seats and seal, spring fingers on said latch, the lower end of said lower seat forming a shoulder engageable by the spring fingers in the raised position of said fingers, a compression ring positioned within said coupling, a second shoulder in the coupling, said compression ring resting on the second shoulder in the lowered position of the compression ring and with the spring fingers engaging the compression ring, said compression ring having an opening therein of restricted diameter to compress the spring fingers therein, said compression ring being movable between said shoulders.

References Cited in the le of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 249,228 Dower Nov. 8, 1881 1,273,663 Pierce July 23, 1918 1,524,158 Steen Jan. 27, 1925 1,686,307 Yerkes et al. Oct. 2, 1928 1,983,489 PenIOd Dec. 4, 1934 2,267,459 Hait Dec. 23, 1941 2,327,503 Coberly Aug. 24, 1943 

